Jelly Roll Morton Collection, 1905-1941Span: 1905-1941Bulk: 1905-1941English
collection
3 boxesThe Jelly Roll Morton Collection consists of 127 copyright deposits, both manuscript and print, that range in date of composition from 1905 to the year of his death in 1941. Among the manuscript lead sheets and scores are at least nine holographs, including "Big fat ham," "Frog-i-more rag," and "Mr. Jelly Lord." Many of the other manuscript copies are transcriptions of Morton's recordings, particularly those transcribed for purposes of copyright by J. Lawrence Cook, who was the arranger of many of Morton's piano rolls, and by Roy J. Carew, who established the Tempo-Music Publishing Company in the late 1930's to protect and publish Morton's uncopyrighted works. Approximately 25 of the manuscript lead sheets and scores have notations in pencil that appear to represent Morton's own assessment of the transcription. As many as half of the comments are dated June 6, 1938, suggesting that either Lomax or someone at the Library of Congress showed Morton these copyright deposits and asked for his opinion of them. The comments range from "Very good," to "O.K.," to "Wrong," and bear the initials "J.R.M." In addition to manuscript materials, there are 20 printed scores and 8 sets of printed parts. Most of the printed music was published either by Roy J. Carew and Tempo-Music Publishing in Washington, D.C., or by Melrose Bros. in Chicago. The preservation microfilm of the collection is organized by a chronology of the recordings of Morton's music. There are a number of printed scores and sets of parts that were filmed as part of the microfilm project but are not a part of the collection; these titles are listed with an asterisk in the microfilm index of Appendix A of the finding aid.Copyright deposits, both manuscript and print, dating from the early 1900s to the 1950s.MUSIC 3018Jelly Roll Morton Collection, Music Division, Library of CongressMorton, Jelly RollManuscript and published copyright deposits including transcriptions of recorded versions of the composer’s music.Researchers wishing to work with special collections are advised to inquire in advance about availability of material since many special collections are stored off-site.Certain restrictions to use or copying of materials may apply.African American MusicAfrican Americans in the Performing ArtsJazz BandJazzPiano MusicMorton, Jelly RollLomax, AlanCook, J. LawrenceCarew, Roy J.ML31.M67Performing Arts EncyclopediascdbMusic Division, Library of Congresshttp://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/eadmus.mu2005.wp.0027IHAS120828loc.natlib.scdb.200033798